Bangkok protesters.

by gerrypopplestone | June 20, 2008 at 04:54 am | 302 views | 6 comments

The people of Bangkok are at it again!

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have laid seige for the 26th day on Government House, aiming to kick Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet out of office, says the Bangkok Post today. But the PM has pledged not to use force against PAD since that could easily provoke violence and plunge the country into another crisis, like it did in 2007. And nobody wants another ineffectual coup.

But PAD intend to remain camping out until the cabinet resigns. Yesterday, the two sides had a nasty fight: today they will be more careful. They plan to split into smaller groups today and attack Government House from different directions.

But there is little hope of that occurring. The tens of thousands are marching in a happy mood as the 8000 police allow them over some of the barricades. The police are smart: the marchers were being lead only to a cul-de-sac. Later in the afternoon, some protesters managed to break through the police barricades for a while but the police soon stemmed the flow (see comment below). Both sides remain so far apart, there is no possibility of any meaningful negotiations.

But watch this space!

Flag this story

Upload

Make your good story a great story. Click here to add your photos & video to this story.

Crowd Power

Scan the web to add photos and videos to this story or add them from the NowPublic Archive.

Rob Walker

at 07:33 on June 20th, 2008

good stuff:

gerrypopplestone, I like this story. It's good stuff.

jordan

at 07:59 on June 20th, 2008

good stuff:

gerrypopplestone, good work.

gerrypopplestone

at 08:58 on June 20th, 2008

Thanks, guys! It was fun walking along taking pics and the mood was very warm. I can't really see what will be achieved though. No one is going to threaten things enough to risk another coup: that at least is clear.

Gerry

Rhonda J Mangus

at 09:51 on June 20th, 2008

good stuff:

gerrypopplestone, I like this story. It's good stuff.

gerrypopplestone

at 23:08 on June 20th, 2008

I wus wrong!

Update: Saturday 21st June

Yes, the PAD did break through the barricades yesterday late afternoon and, yes, the police tried to stem the flow but they failed. At 2.30pm two streams of protesters broke through and met up, to be followed by a third group from the other side of Government House at 3.00pm. Then, the PAD announced their victory over the government. (If only I'd hired a 'copter I would have seen all this clearly from above!). Later in the day, army chief General Anupong Paojinda advised the Prime Minister to think seriously about dissolving the House to end the turmoil on the streets of Bangkok.